Although many highway tractors or trucks are now air conditioned, some drivers nonetheless prefer driving with their windows open both for comfort and better lateral visibility. However, with a window open, the driver is usually struck with a blast of air which is in part caused by the large rear view mirrors at each side of the tractor or truck. Even if the driver could suffer the continuous blast of air, rain or inclement weather makes it impossible to keep the window open, even though during such weather, both comfort and visibility might normally dictate that the windows be open.
Also, during such weather, rear view mirrors tend to collect rain or dirt, requiring that they frequently be wiped or cleaned. This is in part due to air current cavitation adjacent the mirror surface. Unless a driver stops, the only way this can be done is through an open window. Further, open windows in vehicles such as automobiles or trucks tend to create drag and impair fuel efficiency.
It would therefore be desirable to have a wind deflector adjacent the side windows of a tractor or truck which would enable the driver and passenger or both to travel in comfort with the windows open, even in rain or wet conditions. It would also be desirable if such wind deflectors would assist in maintaining the rear view mirrors clear and also reduce the amount of drag caused by the window being open. It would also be beneficial that the angle of the deflector be readily adjustable to obtain the benefits noted since the angle of the rear view mirror is also adjustable as is the driver's seat. It would further be important that such deflectors be readily mounted on existing trucks or tractors, be inexpensive, and easy to install and adjust.
The latter mounting factor however creates a problem. A convenient place to mount such deflectors is from the struts of the rear view mirror brackets. Unfortunately, such brackets are not all the same. Those on trucks made by the Ford Motor Company (FORD) utilize angled and inclined struts supporting the lower mirror bracket arm, while those made by WHITE-VOLVO, use generally horizontal arms. Moreover, the vertical spacing may vary. It is therefore beneficial if the wind deflector using the same or similar parts can be readily mounted on mirror bracket arms, both right and left hand of different configurations.